Latch bolt operating means



June 14, 1932 F. K'. SOLLIDAY LATCH BOLT OPERATING MEANS Filed Aug. lO, 1951 Hllllllllll n Patented June 14, 1932 nNirED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOSTER K. SOLLIDAY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL BRASS COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN LATCH BOLT OPERATING MEANS Application filed August 10, 1931. Serial No. 556,086.

This invention relates to a latch bolt operatingrmeans, and is particularly concerned with a simple means for operating a latch bolt at the inner side of a door and one which is of a structure thatl it may be applied to ydoors having different thicknesses within a prescribed range, and also one which itself automatically compensates for discrepancies in the work of carpenters in installing the latch in the door, the whole being of very practical, simple and economical construction.

It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to construct a latch bolt operating device ofthe character stated and by means of which the objects and purposes outlined, together with others not at this time enumerated may be attained, as will be apparent upon understanding the invention from I0 the following description, taken in connection with the accompaying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through a door having a latch installed therein, the operating means for the latch bolt being illustrated in longitudinal section.

F ig. 2 is an inner side elevation of the latch operating means of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through one form of latch bolt which may be 80 operated thereby.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the several parts ofthe bolt operating means in separate unassembled relation and with some parts in section, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view and horizontal section of the latch operating means, the esc-utcheon plate being shown in section.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diiferent figures of the drawing.

The latch bolt which is to be operated by the device of my invention may be of several forms, one of which is illustrated in longitudinal section in Fig. 3. It includes an outer cylindrical housing l, a latch bolt 2 and an immediate'operating member 3 therefor connected. with the latch bolt, which is adapted to be moved to retract the bolt by a rotatable barrel 4 located transversely of and horizontally in the housing 1. This operating barrel preferably has a longitudinal slot 5 therethrough rectangular in shape as illustrated. rEhe specific character of the latch bolt is not of importance in the present invention as it may be of various forms; and whether of the spring latch type as shown or merely a sliding bolt without spring actuation in any respect is not material so long as an operating barrel such as indicated at 4 having a properly shaped opening therethrough is user The latch structure illustrated is not of my invention but has been heretofore built and sold and is a product of the company to which I have assigned the present application.

The latch bolt construction is designed to be mounted in a door 6 in a cylindrical opening bored therein horizontally at the free edge of the door; and transverse openings of proper size are bored through the door so as to cross the opening in which the latch bolt is installed. At the outer side of the door a key operated lock mechanism is housed within a housing 7. It includes a tongue 8 which extends into the longitudinal opening 5 within the barrel 4. The specific structure of the key operated device mentioned is not a part of the present invention but is fully shown and described in a co-pending application.

Lugs 9 extend from the housing 7 into recesses made in the door, and are interiorly bored and threaded whereby elongated screws 10L may pass through the door from the inner side and into said lugs for joining both the inner and the outer bolt operating means together and bind them in place on the door, the screws 10 passing through an escutcheon plate 11 of sheet metal which'forms one element of the construction in which my present invention is embodied.

The escutcheon plate 11 is of any suitable form and has a central opening therethrough surrounded by an inwardly extending sheet metal sleeve 12. The bolt supporting mechanism of my invention includes a cylindrical body having an outer end portion 13, an ind termediate somewhat larger diameter portion 14 and an inner portion 15 of substantially the same diameter as the outer part 13. A cylindrical opening 16 is made in said body from its inner end centrally extending through both of the parts 15 and 14; and a transverse slot 17 is cut through the same parts and across the opening 16 ext-ending through both of the parts 15 and 14. ln the cylindrical opening 16 a coiled compression spring 18 of light tension is housed.

A flat metal member' 19, of the shape best shown in Fig. 4, is provided having a pro jecting tongue 20 at one end of a shape to freely enter the opening 5 throughV the bolt operating barrel 4. At its opposite' end it is divided to make spaced apart lugs 21 which are turned outwardly at their ends to provide lateral lugs 22. This flat metal member is 'freely received within the slot 17 a-nd bears against one end of the spring 18. It is held against outward projection beyond a predetermined point by a split spring ring 23 which seats in a groove around the free end portion of the part 15. The lugs22 extend outwardly far enough that the ring 23 is in their paths of movement and stop the same in outer portion to which normally moved by the coiled spring 18, as best shown in Fig. 5.

The cylindrical block member consisting oi the parts 13, 14and 15 is assembled with the escutcheon plate 11 by inserting the part 13 throughthe sleeve 12 and joining therewith an operatingpknob or handle 24 which formed with a cup-like sleeve 25,y at its inner end,y whereby the knob or handle may be driven with a tight drive it over the projecting end ot' the part 13. The larger part 14 and the end of the cup-like portion 25 oi the knob or handle comes closely adjacent to the outer side of the plate 11..

With this construction of operating means, the same may be applied to the inner side of a door and the tongue 20 inserted into the adjacent end of the opening 5 through the barrel' 4 of the latch mechanism. The width of the slot 17 is appreciably greater than the thickness of the metal from which the part 19 is made, permitting a considerable degree of swivelling movement of said part 19. This obviates and takes care of dscrepancies in carpenter work in boring the various holes and recesses for the installation of the latch and allows the tongue 20 to enter the opening 5 with a comparatively wide range of tolerance and without detriment to the actionof the latch operating device.

It will also be noted that the member 19 may be moved longitudinally inward against the force of spring 18 whereby doors of different thicknesses may have the latch installed, use being made of the same size of latch bolt construction and bolt operating means.

In Fig. 1 the lugs at 22 do not bear direct- 1y against theretaining ring 23; and if the door was thinner, the member on which saidk lugs are formed would be moved to a still different position with said lugs 22 still farther away from the ring; while if the door was thicker the lugs 22 would bear against said ring 23 and the tongue 20 not extend its ull length into the opening 5. It is accordingly not necessary with this latch bolt operating means to make many diiferent models and sizes for every thickness of door but one size will take care of a considerable range in door thickness.

The construction described is very practical, economical to make and sure and durable in its operation.y It obviates close work on the part of mechanics installing the latch and insures a proper ease of operation of the latch even though the installation may depart slightly from exactly true positioning of the parts with respect to each other. Likewise the range of door thicknesses which may be served' by a single model or size of latch bolt operating device is a v ery practical feature of the invention. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope. i

I claim:

1. Latch bolt operating means comprising, a plate adapted to be attached to a side of a door, a body member rotatably mounted on and extending through said plate, manually operable means at the outer end of said member for turning the same, an engaging member adjustably mounted for movement on said body member in the direction of the length of said body member adapted to engage with a bolt operating means, and spring means for normally moving the engaging member inwardly, as specified.

2. Bolt operating means comprising, a support adapted to be connected to a sider of a door, an elongated body member extending through and rotatably mounted on said support having a slotted inner end portion, means adapted to be manually engaged at the outer end of said body member to turn the same, an engaging member of flat material slidably mounted within said slot of the body member, yieldable spring means between the body member and the engaging member normally tending to separate the same, and means carried by the body member limiting the extent of movement of said engaging member in one direction. A

3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2, said slot being ot greater width than the thickness of the engaging member to permit the engaging member to swing laterally a limited distance, and said spring acting on the engaging member permitting the sameV to swing in its plane and also move lengthwise of the slot of the body member.

4. Bolt operating means adaptedto be attached to a door comprising, a supporting plate, a body member rotatably .mounted thereon and adapted to be turned about its longitudinal axis, and a spring actuated engaging member mounted at the inner end of the body member adjustable to dierent po- 5 sitions in the length thereof having an inwardly projecting free end portion adapted to be inserted into a rotatably mounted bolt operating barrel.

5. In combination, a longitudinally movable latch bolt, a housing therefor, an operating barrel mounted transversely of the housing and engaging With the bolt to move the same longitudinally on rotating the barrel, said barrel having a central longitudinal opening at an end portion thereof, a door in which said latch bolt is installed, and manual operating means therefor comprising a support secured to a side of the door, a rotatable body member mounted thereon in substantial alinement with said barrel, means for manually turning said body member, and a spring actuated engaging member slidably mounted on the body member having a free end portion inserted into said opening in the barrel.

6. Bolt operating means comprising, a support adapted to be attached to a side of the door, a body member rotatably mounted thereon and extending therethrough, means for turning said body member about its longitudinal axis and engaging means adjustably mounted at the inner end of the body member for positioning the same at different positions in the length of the body member combined with spring means for normally forcing said last mentioned means in a direction away from said support.

7. Bolt actuating means comprising, a vertical support adapted to be attached to a side of the door, a cylindrical body members passing through and rotatably mounted on said support having a diametrically slotted inner end portion, manual means for turning the body member about its axis, a coiled compression spring located in said slot, an engaging member of flat material, narrower in Width than the Width of said slot, located in the slot against the spring, said engaging member havingv a free end engaging portion and the other end having oppositely extending lugs, and a spring ring seated around the inner end portion of said body member against which said lugs normally engage When moved thereto by said spring.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FOSTER K. SOLLIDAY.

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